Xi tells Modi he saw ‘Dangal’, praises Indian films

Astana [Kazakhstan], June 9, (ANI): Bollywood actor Amir Khan starrer and record breaking Indian Film ‘Dangal’ also came in the spectrum of bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the latter praised Indian Cinema.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said that the Chinese leader told the Prime Minister that he himself has seen the movie ‘Dangal’.

“There was etailed discussion on cultural cooperation. President Xi in fact spoke very highly of the Indian films. He said that this film ‘Dangal’ was doing particularly well and that he himself has actually seen it,” Jaishankar told reporters.

As of June 7, the film has made a whopping 1.17 billion Yuan (Rs 1,090 crore) at the Chinese box office since its May 5 release in the country, making it the highest grossing non-Hollywood foreign film in China. The film has been given an extended one-month-run in China, and will be on screens till July 4.

The two leaders who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) also discussed economic and defence issues, including the vexed subject of terrorism and how it can be effectively tackled.

“A number of areas came up for discussion which included economic cooperation specifically trade, investment and connectivity, the establishment of industrial parks and cooperation in railways. There were a number of security and defence issues including counter terrorism cooperation, security cooperation, defence exchange also,” said Jaishankar.

“There was a very positive Chinese signal over the KMY (Kailash Mansarovar Yatra), some talks of parliamentary exchanges and also a detailed discussion on cultural cooperation,” he added. (ANI)